Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations

First Edition: April 30, 2019

Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations.

Kaiser Health News:
Summer Bummer: A Young Camper’s $142,938 Snakebite
It was dusk as Oakley Yoder and the other summer camp kids hiked back to their tents at Illinois’ Jackson Falls last July. As the group approached a mound of boulders blocking the path, Oakley, then 9, didn’t see the lurking snake — until it bit a toe on her right foot. “I was really scared,” Oakley said. “I thought that I could either get paralyzed or could actually die.”Her camp counselors suspected it was a copperhead and knew they needed to get her medical attention as soon as they could. (Heredia Rodriguez, 4/30)

The Wall Street Journal:
Democrats Pepper Voters With Competing Health-Care Ideas
On expanding health coverage, Democrats’ 2020 hopefuls have agreed to disagree. Joe Biden says he would let people buy into Medicare and will build upon the Affordable Care Act, signed into law while he was vice president. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont backs a government-run system called Medicare for All that would replace private insurance. Sen. Kamala Harris of California wants Medicare for All too, but would keep some pieces of the current setup including employer-based coverage. (Armour and Hughes, 4/30)

The Washington Post:
Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders' Teams Kick Off Feud Over Medicare For All
Joe Biden on Monday endorsed a public option that would allow all Americans to buy into a Medicare-like health insurance plan, as allies of both the former vice president and 2020 presidential rival Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) begin to debate the Democratic Party’s health-care agenda. “Whether you’re covered through your employer or on your own or not, you should have the choice to buy into a public option plan for Medicare — your choice,” Biden said during a campaign event in Pittsburgh. “If the insurance company isn’t doing right by you, you should have another choice.” (Stein, 4/29)

The Hill:
Biden Calls For Everyone Having The Choice To Buy Into Medicare
That Biden is stopping short of Sanders’s plan is not surprising given that the former vice president is expected to run in a more moderate lane than Sanders’s progressive approach. The move, though, could still open Biden up to disappointment from some Medicare for All supporters in the primary. Biden’s position is similar to that of fellow candidates such as former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-Texas) and South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D), who has called for "Medicare for all who want it." (Sullivan, 4/29)

The Washington Post:
Why Vermont’s Single-Payer Effort Failed And What Democrats Can Learn From It
Three and a half years after then-Gov. Peter Shumlin of Vermont signed into law a vision for the nation’s first single-payer health system, his small team was still struggling to find a way to pay for it. With a deadline bearing down, they worked through a frozen, mid-December weekend, trying one computer model Friday night, another Saturday night, yet another Sunday morning. If they kept going, the governor asked his exhausted team on Monday, could they arrive at a tax plan that would be politically palatable? No, they told him. They could not. (Goldstein, 4/29)

Stat:
At A Rally, Activists Accuse Pharma Of Blocking 'Medicare For All'
A crowd of roughly 200 progressive protestors planted themselves on the ground in the middle of a normally bumper-to-bumper four-lane corridor here Monday with a firm message for the drug industry: get out of our way. The crowd wasn’t there — in front of the trade association PhRMA’s headquarters — to protest a specific drug’s price spike or an unsafe drug. Instead, they were seated in solidarity with the speaker at the front of the crowd: Ady Barkan, a 34-year old activist with ALS confined to a wheelchair. (Florko, 4/29)

The New York Times:
Measles Cases Surpass 700 As Outbreak Continues Unabated
Measles continues to spread in the United States, federal health officials said on Monday, surpassing 700 cases this year as health officials around the country sought aggressive action to stem the worst outbreak in decades. In New York, an epicenter of the outbreak, city officials closed two more schools for Orthodox Jewish children for failing to comply with an order to exclude unvaccinated children. (McNeil, 4/29)

The Associated Press:
Officials Declare Measles Outbreak In Pacific Northwest Over
A measles outbreak that sickened more than 70 people, mostly children, in the Pacific Northwest is finally over even as the total number of cases nationwide continues to spike to near-record levels , officials said Monday. Six weeks have passed without a new infection in southwest Washington state, where the outbreak began on Jan. 3, said Dr. Alan Melnick, head of the Clark County public health department. (Flaccus, 4/29)

The Wall Street Journal:
Measles Cases Top Last Week’s 25-Year High As Outbreak Worsens
Federal officials said Monday they are concerned that the measles virus could gain a foothold again in the U.S. if current outbreaks—particularly one in New York City under way since last October—aren’t brought to heel. The disease was officially eliminated from the U.S. in 2000, meaning that it stopped circulating continuously. “Vaccine-preventable diseases belong in the history books, not our emergency rooms,” U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said in a telephone briefing. The vast majority of this year’s measles cases involve children who haven’t been vaccinated, Mr. Azar said, but they also include some adults who were vaccinated. (McKay, 4/29)

The Hill:
Health Officials Warn Measles Could Regain Foothold If Record Outbreaks Are Not Contained
Nancy Messonnier, director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said the outbreaks won’t stop unless community members, health officials and other groups like rabbinical associations work together to identify unvaccinated people at risk of infection. “We should expect to see additional cases. These outbreaks can end with all groups working together, but we can expect to see additional cases before this is over,” Messonnier said. (Weixel, 4/29)

Politico:
Alex Azar Praises Trump For Public Shift On Vaccines
HHS Secretary Alex Azar said Monday that a measles outbreak had infected at least 704 people, the highest number recorded in 25 years, and praised President Donald Trump for urging U.S. parents to vaccinate their children after years of stating that vaccines cause autism. Azar said Trump's statements during the 2016 campaign linking vaccination to autism were based on a “debate about this issue but it’s been settled. The scientific community generated definitive information so we can reassure every parent there is no link.” (Allen, 4/29)

The Associated Press:
NY Officials Issue Fines, Close Schools In Measles Fight
Officials in New York closed more schools, issued more fines and lobbied the Legislature to eliminate religious exemptions for required vaccinations as part of efforts to contain a measles outbreak. Federal officials have reported 704 measles cases so far in the U.S. since Jan. 1. New York City and suburban Rockland County account for the majority of the cases, almost all among members of Orthodox Jewish communities. (Carola, 4/29)

The Associated Press:
Nearly 2/3 Quarantined By LA Universities Are Cleared
Almost two-thirds of the nearly 800 students, faculty and staff members who were quarantined following exposure to the measles virus at two Los Angeles universities have been cleared to resume normal activities. The quarantine marked one of the most sweeping efforts by authorities to contain the nation’s measles outbreak, where cases have reached a 25-year high. (4/29)

Los Angeles Times:
Where Did The Measles Outbreak In L.A. Start? Officials Are Looking Abroad
Los Angeles County officials dealing with a measles outbreak say they expect that more people will be diagnosed with the illness in the coming weeks, while the nation stares down what will likely be its worst measles year in decades. But where are these cases coming from? The U.S. declared measles eliminated in 2000, and the virus does not regularly circulate here. (Karlamangla, 4/29)

The New York Times:
They Want It To Be Secret: How A Common Blood Test Can Cost $11 Or Almost $1,000
It’s one of the most common tests in medicine, and it is performed millions of times a year around the country. Should a metabolic blood panel test cost $11 or $952? Both of these are real, negotiated prices, paid by health insurance companies to laboratories in Jackson, Miss., and El Paso in 2016. New data, analyzing the health insurance claims of 34 million Americans covered by large commercial insurance companies, shows that enormous swings in price for identical services are common in health care. In just one market — Tampa, Fla. — the most expensive blood test costs 40 times as much as the least expensive one. (Sanger-Katz, 4/30)

The Washington Post:
House Democrats Move To Block Trump Administration’s Abortion ‘Gag’ Rule
House Democrats moved Monday to block a new Trump administration rule aimed at restricting health-care providers from promoting abortions. Democrats included language in a newly released spending bill that would prevent the rule — termed a “gag rule” by critics — from taking effect, although it was already stayed by a federal judge. Democrats also included $50 million for gun violence research in the legislation released Monday, a massive spending bill for the departments of Labor, Education, and Health and Human Services. The two parties have been fighting over this issue for years, with Republicans using spending bills when they controlled the House to effectively block gun violence research by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Werner, 4/29)

The Associated Press:
US Judge In Oregon Blocks Trump Abortion Referral Rule
The ruling by U.S. District Judge Michael McShane in Eugene, Oregon, was the second nationwide injunction by a federal judge in the Pacific Northwest against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services attempt to implement new rules beginning Friday in the so-called Title X program. It provides comprehensive family planning and related preventive health services for low-income families or uninsured people. (4/29)

The Hill:
Second Federal Judge Blocks Trump Abortion Measures
"At worst, it is a ham-fisted approach to health policy that recklessly disregards the health outcomes of women, families, and communities. In the guise of 'program integrity,' the Gag Rule prevents doctors from behaving like informed professionals,” McShane wrote. “It prevents counselors from providing comprehensive counseling. It prevents low-income women from making an informed and independent medical decision.” (Budryk, 4/29)

The Associated Press:
Alabama House Ready To Debate Near Total Abortion Ban
Alabama lawmakers are set to debate a bill that would ban almost all abortions in the state. The House of Representatives on Tuesday will debate the proposal to make performing an abortion a felony. The bill contains an exemption for the mother's health but not for rape or incest. The legislation is purposely designed to conflict with the 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion nationally. (4/30)

The Hill:
House Dems Propose $50 Million To Study Gun Violence Prevention
House Democrats on Monday proposed $50 million in funding for federal agencies to study gun violence prevention. A draft measure released by House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.) calls for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health to study firearm injury and mortality prevention. (Hellmann, 4/29)

The Wall Street Journal:
Drug-Injection Sites Are Battleground In Fight Against Opioid Overdoses
Supervised drug-injection sites are gaining traction in half a dozen U.S. cities, setting off a legal battle and intensifying public debate over the controversial concept. Supervised sites—also known as safe-consumption sites—are places where individuals can use drugs they’ve already purchased, with sterile supplies, under the supervision of trained personnel. In the event of an overdose, staff can administer the antidote naloxone. (Miller Rubin, 4/29)

Stat:
Doctors, Health Officials Push To End Restrictions On Key Addiction Treatment
Eighteen state public health directors, a growing group of physicians, and a prominent member of Congress are pushing a dramatic expansion of substance use treatment by posing a simple question: Why can’t doctors who prescribe opioids also prescribe drugs to treat opioid addiction? Their push to deregulate use of buprenorphine, which is used to lessen opioid cravings and withdrawal symptoms, would represent a fundamental shift in U.S. addiction treatment. The medication — and addiction medicine in general — are highly regulated, largely due to fears that opioid-based treatment drugs like buprenorphine and methadone could be misused. (Facher, 4/30)

The Associated Press:
Judge: Former Opioid Advocate Can Testify Against Industry
A federal jury will be able to hear from a doctor who spent decades advocating for broader use of powerful prescription painkillers before turning against the opioid industry. A special court master had ruled earlier this month that the testimony of Dr. Russell Portenoy, a professor at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, would not be allowed at the first federal trial against drugmakers over the toll of opioids. The reason was that attorneys representing the local governments suing the industry had failed to disclose for nearly a year that Portenoy was cooperating with them. (Mulvihill, 4/29)

The Associated Press:
Study: Kids' Suicides Spiked After Netflix's '13 Reasons'
Suicides among U.S. kids aged 10 to 17 jumped to a 19-year high in the month following the release of a popular TV series that depicted a girl ending her life, researchers said. The study published Monday can't prove that the Netflix show "13 Reasons Why" was the cause, but there were 195 more youth suicides than would have been expected in the nine months following the show's March 2017 release, given historical and seasonal suicide trends, the study estimated. (4/29)

The New York Times:
In Month After ‘13 Reasons Why’ Debut On Netflix, Study Finds Teen Suicide Grew
“Suicide is a problem worldwide, and it’s so hard to knock these rates down,” said Lisa M. Horowitz, a staff scientist in the National Institute of Mental Health’s Intramural Research Program, and an author of the paper. “The last thing we need is something that increases them.” In a statement, a Netflix spokesperson said: “We’ve just seen this study and are looking into the research, which conflicts with last week’s study from the University of Pennsylvania,” which focused on young adults. “This is a critically important topic and we have worked hard to ensure that we handle this sensitive issue responsibly.” (Carey, 4/29)

The Wall Street Journal:
Health Firms Are Looking At Personal Data
Health plans are gathering more than just medical data on members. With the help of data-analytics companies, they are now making use of information such as how much people earn, how often they travel and even if they have a pet. These efforts are the result of a confluence of two trends: first, the rising recognition that social factors have a significant impact on health, and, second, a shift toward value-based care in medicine, where providers are rewarded for keeping patients healthy. By integrating medical data with personal information and applying analytics to it, insurers and health providers are hoping to identify patients at high risk of an illness or hospitalization and intervene to prevent it. (Gormley, 4/29)

The Wall Street Journal:
When Parents Divorce, Apps Can Reduce The Child-Custody Acrimony
Divorce can bring out the worst in parents who are already accustomed to bickering with each other. Even an argument about whether a kid should join a soccer team—and who will pay—can end up in a courtroom. To minimize discord and unnecessary court time, family-law judges increasingly order warring parents to use co-parenting apps. The new tools may not solve every problem, but experts say they can ease the stress on children caught in the crossfire. (Jargon, 4/30)

The Wall Street Journal:
Can An Extra $333 A Month Improve A Baby’s Brain? A Research Team Wants To Know.
Kimberly Noble, a neuroscientist, holds up a blue and red cap dotted with electrodes that rest on a toddler’s scalp to measure electrical activity in the brain. It is one of the tools her team will use to answer a complex question: Can monthly cash payments to low-income mothers foster the growth of their babies’ brains and cognitive abilities? Dr. Noble, based at Teachers College, Columbia University, thinks so. (Brody, 4/29)

The New York Times:
Airlines Turn To Doctors With Goal Of Limiting Long Flights’ Negative Effects
Turkish Airlines brought in Dr. Mehmet Oz, host and producer of “The Dr. Oz Show.” Singapore Airlines turned to Dr. Richard Carmona, a former United States surgeon general who is now chief of health innovation at the resort spa Canyon Ranch. Air France works with its own medical aviation doctor and psychologist. Airlines have long vied to offer the most front-of-plane amenities. More recently, the competition has moved to a new area: in-flight wellness programs meant to help passengers ward off the effects of air travel, especially on nonstop long-haul and the newer ultra-long-haul flights, with meditation apps, exercises, better blankets and bedding, herbal teas and healthier meals. (Garfinkel, 4/29)

The Wall Street Journal:
Why Men Won’t Go To The Doctor, And How To Change That
Men are notoriously bad patients. Compared with women, they avoid going to the doctor, skip more recommended screenings and practice riskier behavior. They also die about five years sooner, live with more years of bad health and have higher suicide rates. Now, with growing recognition that treating preventable causes of death and disability could close the medical gender gap, the health-care industry is mounting a new push to get men the care they need. (Landro, 4/29)

The Wall Street Journal:
Why Women Live Longer Than Men
Why have women have been living longer than men everywhere in the world since the mid-19th century? To find out, Esteban Ortiz-Ospina, an economist at the Oxford Martin School at the University of Oxford, dug through statistics collected through various sources, including the global Human Mortality Database. (Mitchell, 4/29)

The New York Times:
U.N. Issues Urgent Warning On The Growing Peril Of Drug-Resistant Infections
With more and more common medications losing their ability to fight dangerous infections, and few new drugs in the pipeline, the world is facing an imminent crisis that could lead to millions of deaths, a surge in global poverty and an even wider gap between rich and poor countries, the United Nations warned in a report on Monday. Drug-resistant infections already claim 700,000 lives a year, including 230,000 deaths from drug-resistant tuberculosis, the report said. (Jacobs, 4/29)

The Wall Street Journal:
ER Cubicles Allow Hospitals To Use Their Limited Space More Wisely
Cubicles have arrived in the emergency room. Hospitals across the country, rethinking how they use precious ER space, are creating more compact examination and treatment areas for ER patients with less-acute ills—a move that also frees up space for patients with more serious problems and reduces the expense of building larger ERs. By being smarter about using space, the ERs aim to see more patients, in less time, without having to expand. (Sadick, 4/29)

The Wall Street Journal:
How A Mirror Can Help People Who Hate Their Bodies
Can a mirror help people who are unhappy with their bodies feel better about themselves? A review of studies on the subject says it can, with the right help. Mirror exposure therapy is a relatively new psychological approach in which participants observe themselves in a full-length mirror and talk about their bodies with the guidance of a therapist. (Oliver, 4/29)

The Wall Street Journal:
Vitamin B-12 Deficiency: The Serious Health Problem That’s Easy To Miss
It began with occasional tiredness, dizziness and tinnitus. I later developed heart palpitations, odd sensations in my extremities, and shortness of breath. As time went on, I also experienced anxiety, feeling faint and brain fog. Add to the list insomnia, as I became afraid to fall sleep because I sometimes awoke with what felt like a surge of electrical charges throughout my body, or with my arms and legs completely numb. (Hawkins-Simons, 4/29)

The Associated Press:
Flint Water Scandal’s Special Prosecutor Out After 3 Years
A special prosecutor who spent three years leading a criminal investigation of the Flint water scandal has been fired, officials announced Monday, apparently part of the fallout from the recent discovery of 23 boxes of records in the basement of a state building. Todd Flood’s contract was terminated on April 16. The Michigan attorney general’s office told a judge about the records on Friday as it seeks a six-month freeze in the case against Michigan’s former health director, Nick Lyon, who is charged with involuntary manslaughter. (White, 4/29)

The Associated Press:
5 In Hospital After Fight At Utah Psychiatric Youth Center
Five people were hospitalized after a fight broke out at a Utah youth psychiatric center that took officers from several police agencies about an hour to bring under control, police said Monday. Another 20 people, including three staffers, were treated at the scene for minor injuries in the melee Sunday night at the Red Rock Canyon School residential treatment center in the small southwestern Utah city St. George, authorities said. Most of the injuries were bumps and bruises but one person required staples after being hit in the back of the head with a blunt object, said St. George police Officer Tiffany Atkin. (4/29)

This is part of the KHN Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.